Soluble Nitrogen and Acid Production of High Moisture Corn

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Abstract
Samples of high moisture corn, both ground and whole shelled, were ensiled in sealed plastic bags for various lengths of time with an 80:20 mixture of propionic and acetic acids (AP), ammonium isobutyrate (AIB), CaCO3 or Urea. The samples were analyzed for soluble nitrogen (SN), soluble non-protein nitrogen (SNPN), soluble protein (SP) and levels of lactic acid, acetic acid, and pH at intervals up to 56 days after ensiling. The SN level in ensiled ground corn grain increased with time and represented 38.2% of the total nitrogen at 56 days. The SNPN increased from 7.3 at 0-time to 32.1% of the total N at 56 days. Whole shelled high moisture corn had considerably less SN at 56 days (14.8% of total N) than the ground high moisture corn and addition of AP increased the solubilization of nitrogen in the whole corn but not the ground corn. Lactic and acetic acid levels indicated that the fermentation process is much slower in the whole corn than ground corn. The effects of the additives on SN levels were slight, despite AP inhibition of lactic acid production. This indicates that bacterial fermentation does not play a major role in the solubilization of nitrogen. Addition of urea to ground high moisture corn increased the SP levels.